Grey Hair, Tummy Tucks & Boob Jobs

Don’t get me wrong, I really like my hairdresser, in fact, she knows I am a no-fuss, in and out 2 to 3 times a year kind of customer.
There is also a product she introduced me to, that gave the blonde highlights in my hair a bit of vavoom, without covering up my grey hairs. 
It seems to keep me going for around 4 months.

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I am 47 and I have lots of ‘grey highlights’ and seriously I do not care.
When I first noticed in my 30’s I remember being a bit shocked by the finding, but now there are so many things about getting older that are like a badge I can sew onto my Jacket of Life.  I am accumulating the signs of wisdom and it is so very cool!

This topic of growing older and bolder is a big one with my friends, male and female and its definitely on-trend in this era.

Grey Hair, what does it represent?

  • You are not producing the melanin required for pigmentation of the hair follicles
  • This is often an occurrence as you get older, though not always
  • Wisdom and Life knowledge
  • Boldness and self-acceptance

These are just a few points that come to mind.

 

Its COVID-19 times and I am catching up with my friends who I normally ride bikes with, via our online indoor training platform called Zwift, using Discord to chat.
We ride our bikes, engage in a solid training session and get to converse about anything and everything.
This week we happened upon the topic of Grey Hair, tummy tucks and boob jobs.
We range from 40 something to mid-’50s and we have our ‘token male’ in the mix too.
Between us, 2 of us have had cancer, one has had Lasik eye surgery, one has had a tummy tuck post-pregnancy, and we all have our own extent of grey hair about us.
Three of us have had children.
This kind of conversation flows super easy.

 

It got me thinking, what do we make of people, our judgement I guess, when we see what society might describe as a beautiful person ‘but’ grey hair?
Or a person with significant stretch marks from childbirth and a pouch that never quite returned back to base post-childbirth, or weight loss for that matter?
Anyone in fact, that is currently living has a high likelihood of some fault, disfigurement or imperfection.  

I myself have the stretch marks, the saggy tummy, the saggy boobs, the grey hair, the wrinkles on my face and an imperfect set of teeth.

When I was in my 20’s and 30’s I really did think my life would change if I was a better visual version of myself, it led to feeling inadequate and eating and exercise disorders.
I know now that this matters nada. 
I FEEL best when I ‘act’ and ‘live out’ my life in alignment with my beliefs and life goals.
Yes, my body feels strong and healthy when I look after it and can do the things I enjoy such as run and ride and be alive to my fullest potential.

I guess what I am trying to say is that when I get the order of priorities each day sorted I act better, my mind responds with positively, and these actions create a healthy mind and body that allows me to do what I want to do!

No one can tell us what we should or should not do to feel good about ourselves.

The challenge and hard work must be done inside ourselves, what we align our values with and becoming super comfortable as us.

I don’t know this for sure, and I don’t have a peer-reviewed piece of research, though I am sure I could find one on this topic, I have a strong feeling that there is an order to the path of enlightenment.

<span>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@schmidy?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Austin Schmid</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/happiness?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></span>

 

Feeling good about our image, from our hair to our stomach or teeth or whatever, definitely instils self-confidence and no doubt can give someone the platform to get out do things they might not before.
But how do you bring a new mindset with you after you’ve had self-improvement to ensure is it permanent?
Can you still feel empowered when you let your hair go grey, or just cannot afford that tummy tuck or a set of porcelain veneers for that Hollywood smile?

Self-acceptance and self-love are first up.

Feeling valued and have value to offer the world is next.

Being a part of a community where you, as you are, have been accepted.

Living your life in alignment with your values and being bold to live it that way.

Feeling joy, a glow inside your heart when you just BE YOU.

 

Grey hair, tummy tucks and boob jobs.
Let the conversation flow and you may reveal you are holding judgement, even on yourself.  When you get to the end of your days, will it even matter? 

I have certainly learnt as I get older the more I learn to embrace my qualities the less I care about my imperfections, although I should visit my hairdresser more often!